Silent door closer



OA. C. DUNN SILENT DOOR CLOSER Dec. 25, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 24, 1955 De. 25, 1962 A. c. DUNN SILENT DooR CLOSER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 7% Y# TI I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 1 Filed June 24, 1955 INVENTOR. fmezz/a//f BY Dec. 25, 1962 A c, DUNN I 3,070,394v

siLENT DOOR CLOSER Filed June 24, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN V EN TOR.'

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sited Sitates This invention relates to a silent ydoor unit which controls a door lduring the last few inches of its closing.

The unit may be installed for inside and outside doors, and wherever it is desired to accept the shock of a moving force or a moving body. The invention is described as a unit having three main or principal working parts: a door closer mounted on the door frame or a transom bar; a tripping device mounted on the door; and a silencer mounted on the outside door jamb opposite the trip and closer. This complete assembly permits effective oper* ation and eiiicient control of the door under varying draft conditions.

An important object of this invention is to provide a silent door closer, working alone on inside doors and in combination with a liquid check `device on fire doors and on doors that open inwardly, which wi-il improve the Working action of the door.

A further object of this invention is to provide a door closer unit which maintains quiet performance at all times.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a closer part having separate mounting bases to fulfill the different mounting requirements of many different types of door trim.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a silencer base with simple spacers which t into the silencer base to provide for varying heights and widths of the door stops and jambs upon which they are mounted.

Another object of this invention is to provide a silencer having a release check valve which will prevent clogging of foreign matter or paint when the unit is vvre-painted.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an adjustable contact arm roller so that after the closer unit has been mounted in its proper location, the roller can be adjusted in the trip cam race for proper traction.

Other objects of this invention are to provide a closer adjustable and permanently set for variable wind pressures; to provide a trip unit which permits a door to be closed under all conditions; to provide a trip spacer which can be used alone or stacked in multiples; to provide a closer having bearings to carry a lubricant and sealed from foreign matter; to provide a closer arm which is silent as the door is opened; to provide a contact arm roller having a core coated with rubber that will operate if the rubber coating is Worn or burned off; and to provide a spacer which is adjustable longitudinally for the working location of the cam.

A further object of this invention is to provide a closer part which is smooth in its operation, durable and effective in use, and which can be produced at a minimum cost by eliminating precision machine work.

Other objects of the invention will be found in the specification and will be apparent from the accompanying drawings, in which;

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the closer part which is attached to a transom bar with some of the parts shown in section; FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the closer part shown on the line 2 2 of FIG. l; FIG. 2a is a perspective view of the under side of the closer base having a flange on three sides, which may be easily finished to iit a flat mounting surface, or different trim bevels; FIG. 2b is a fragmentary sectional view of a base as shown in FIG. 2a, but with anges finished at right angles to the front face and with different angular bevels; FIG. 3 is a detail sectional view of the closer arm as taken on the Aline 3 3 of FIG. l; FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the closel` arent part shown in FIG. 1; FIG. 5 is an enlarged elevational view of the adjusting screw for the spring as shown in FIG. 2; FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view of the screw as taken on the line 6 6 of FIG. 5; FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the closer part mounted on the transom, with a spacer and a trip unit mounted at the top of and projecting above the door; FIG. 8 is a detail elevational view taken on the line 8 8 of FIG. 7, also showing the closer unit with the trip cam in different operative positions; FIG. 9 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 9 9 of FIG. 8; and FIG. l0 is a view taken on `the line 10 10 of FIG. 9.

This door closer unit may be applied to a door having an ordinary mechanical door closing unit, and it may also be applied to a door separate from, yand withou-t the necessity of such a mechanical door closer. When the unit is applied to a door, a closer part is mounted on the door frame or transom bar above a door, and has a projecting part which moves in a horizontal plane above the top of the door; a trip is mounted at the top of the door and has a projection above the door which moves into the path of the projecting part of the closer; a silencer is mounted on the top of the door frame opposite the closer .and engages the 'door as it approaches closed position; these parts all cooperate .in cushioning the closing movement of the door, in Vdrawing the door closed, and in holding the door in a closed position against varying drafts. On doors opening outwardly, the silencer, as described, may be used separately when equipped with a stronger compression spring, which acts as a booster in opening the door.

A `door closer part, as shown more clearly in FIGS. l to 4, is installed above a door to which it relates, and

v upon a transom bar 77 no more than one inch in width,

in many cases; or on the door casing, as there are many types of do-or frames which carry inset doors for a mounting space for a closer base 78, which might be dat, or a modified form of base 78a (FIG. 2b) might have any .one of several different bevels. To make this base accommodate either a flat mounting .or an angular one, the under side of the base may be formed with a project-ing flange 79, which extends on two ends and the front surface. This flange may be easily finished at right angles to the front face o'f the closer base for mounting on a flat surface, and may be nished at different Vpredetermined angles, asindicated .by (a) and (b) in FIG. 2b. This readily compensates 'for the bevel of the door trim and causes the closer unit to stand at right angles to the frontsurface of the door. These two bases are designed to cover all closer base mountings which are ordinarily encountered.

The door closer base has an fotfset portion Sti, which causes it to extend in front of the transom door 81 when it is mounted on the transom bar 77 so that the transomdoor .may be opened without interference.

Extending from the closer base 78 are parallel side walls 82 and 83, the latter being assembled on the base by welding and having a smooth welding fillet 84 joining it to the base. If the space between the two parallel side walls required machining during the production of the base, it would be impossible to mount the bearing cups within these walls. Itvwould therefore require that the bearings be vattached by screws through the side rWalls, .making it .impossible to protect them against dirt and paint, and also making it impossible to provide a lubricant reservoir. In the present invention this objection .ijs overcome by ataching the parts accurately in the closer unit before the side plate S3 is welded in place, and hold- .ing all of the parts accurately in position during the welding operation. This welding operation eliminates the machining cost and produces a precision location for the bearings.

Movable between the parallel sidewalls is a hollow arm 85 open at the inner end and having a perforated closure 85a at the outer end. The sides of the arm 85 are substantial, parallel and at, conforming to the space between the parallel sidewalls, and along the inner end on opposite sides, are shallow, ring-shaped recesses 86 for seating and to receive outwardly extending flanges 87 of bearing cups 88, which project through a mounting perforation 89 in the corresponding sidewalls. Within each cup is a trunnion bearing 90 extending from the adjacent sidewall of the hollow arm 85 and formed integrally therewith to provide a substantial pivotal bearing. Between the outer end of each trunnion bearing 90 and the inside of this bearing cup 88 there is an enclosed space 91 for carrying permanent lubrication, such as grease.

To actuate the arm, a partially extended coil spring 92 is located within the arm. One end of the spring is secured to an anchor 93 which has a spiral thread groove for engaging at least one and a half coils of the extension spring, and having an end flange 94, which is larger in diameter than the internal diameter of the spring, so that when the anchor is inserted, the flange limits the insertion of the anchor into the spring, where it is securely held. The anchor is attached by a screw 95 through a shaft bearing 96 into the anchor 93, drawing it tightly against the bearing. The ends of this bearing extend into bearing cups 97, which extend through the sidewalls, and have anges at their inner ends at the insides of the sidewalls for holding them in place against outward movement. These cups are prevented from moving inwardly by engagement with the ends of the shaft bearing 96, and a space may be provided between the ends of the bearings and the inside of the cup for holding permanent lubrication.

At the other end of the spring, it is engaged by a threaded anchor 98 having an end ange 99, which holds the end of the spring in a manner similar to the opposite anchor 93. This anchor 98 is held in place by Ia screw 100, inserted lengthwise through Ithe anchor and also inserted through a spherical bearing 101, seated in a spherical recess 102 at the outer end of the arm 85, and with a countersink 103 inside recess 102 for the adjustment screw and in connection with the bottom of the spherical recess 102, to allow a limited tilting movement of the screw 100 in the end of the arm.

In order to hold this adjustment screw l100 against unauthorized outward movement, the threads may be provided with raised portions or fins 104, which are adapted to engage the internal thread of the anchor 98 in a direction to oppose the outward turning of the screw, due to the torque action of the spring.

The normal alignment of the coil spring 92 is not on the center line of the arm 85, but is at an angle thereto, extending to one side of the center line into an outer angular portion of the arm, as shown in FIG. l.

To move the arm to an open position, that is, when the center line of the spring is at one side of the center line joining the trunnion bearing 90 and the shaft bearing 96, the spring action tends to move the inner end of the arm against the shaft bearing 96 as a stop, which would produce a decided click or noise, if the two metals made contact. This is overcome by providing a cutout portion 106 extending through the arm in the path of the shaft bearing 96, with a cushioning coil spring 107, which extends across the arrn and parallel to the shaft bearing in va circular recess 108 at one end of the cutout portion, so that a portion of the spring projects outwardly from its recess and into the path of andengaging the shaftbearing 96 substantially throughout its length. This acts as a resilient stop, cushions the action of the arm of the closer part, `and prevents objectionable noise when the door is opened.

At the outer portion of the arm opposite the center line from the connection of the coil spring 92, is a contact roller having an outer resilient coating 109, such as rubber, which extends around and over the outer end of a center core 110, made of metal or other suitable heat resisting material, and secured by a set screw 111 extending into a groove 112 of the mounting shaft 113, upon which the roller is freely rotatable. This central core is of a size to permit the unit to work satisfactorily, in case of lire and the destruction of the outer coating 109. The core has an outer portion which extends over the end of the shaft and acts to enclose the bearing which keeps -it free from foreign matter and permits permanent lubrication.

This shaft 113 extends through the outer end 0f the arm from side to side, and has a threaded portion 114 at Ithe end opposite the roller, with a screw driver slot 115 in this outer end. Centrally of the arm is a threaded web 116 for engaging the threaded portion of the shaft and extending outwardly therefrom. On one side is a recess 117 for receiving an adjusting lock nut 118. At the other side of the web 116 is a like recess 119 for housing a shaft spacer 120, which lits loosely and follows the shaft 113 downwardly by gravity when the roller 109 is adjusted downwardly to move the roller for full engagement in the trip mechanism. The collar 120 is raised by the roller when it is adjusted upwardly and acts as a bearing and a filler upon the shaft 113.

With this construction, it will be noted that the hollow arm 85 is formed and machined alike on both sides, so that the same arm may be inverted and used interchangeably for right or left closer bases by correspondingly changing the roller 109, thereby being applicable to both right and left closing and opening doors.

Attached to the inside of the closer base, and filling the space between the parallel sides 82 and 83 of closer base 78 at one side of the arm 85, is a removable ller 121 in the form of an angle plate, which protects the closer from foreign materials.

The tripping device, mounted at the top of a door, comprises a spacer 122, or, if necessary, a plurality of such spacers, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, and nested one on top of another to provide for a door which is inset into the frame. Such a spacer (or spacers) may be secured together in nested relation by a marginal recess 123, and secured to the face of the door by fastening bolts or screws 124, and extends outwardly from the door a sufficient distance so that the surface of the outermost spacer is from 3%: to 1 inch outwardly from the plane of the door frame upon which the closer is mounted. A trip 125 is mounted at the upper edge of the outermost spacer 122 and comprises a downwardly extending angular plate 126 parallel with the surface of the door, with screws 127 extending through adjustment slots 128 in the spacer for moving and locking the trip in its proper working location.

As shown in FIG. 9, the under surface 129 of the spacer 122 is formed with a slight bevel and the opposed surface 130 of the angular plate is formed with an opposite mating bevel, which eliminates the necessity of machining these parts. An outwardly extending wall 131 of the trip as shown in FIG. 9 is located at right angles to the surface of the outer face of the spacer 122. Extending upwardly from the wall 131, which is parallel with, and at the top of the door, is a cam 132 formed integrally with the trip, having a curved portion 133 in the path of the contact roller 109, followed by a straight portion 134 as a continuation thereof. When the contact roller engages this cam, it moves the closer arm 85 beyond a central position of the axes of the shaft bearing 96 and the trunnion bearing 90, whereupon the closer unit goes into action subject to the coil spring 92, which moves the contact roller 109 and the arm to which it is attached, in a direction to draw the door closed. Spaced from the cam 132 is a movable cam 135, secured to a pivot 136 which is parallel to the outer surface of spacer 122 and extends through a bearing 137, formed integrally with the plate 126. The end of this pivot is threaded and extends freely through the bearing, and is held in place by lock nuts 138 on the threaded end of the pivot. This movable cam has a straight 4contact, surface 139 near its pivot, which is substantially opposite the straight portion 134 of the cam 132. The normal location of this portion of the movable cam is at a distance to admit the contact roller snugly therethrough.

At the rear side of the movable cam is an abutment 140, adapted to engage a xed stop comprising a projection 141, formed on the outwardly extending wall 131, and having a rubber or other resilient silencing cover 142 which deadens the noise of the contact of the movable cam and also yields under pressure, due to the movement of the contact roller 109 thereon. Extending outwardly beyond the abutment 140, at a slight angle to the straight surface 139 is an extension 143 of the movable cam, which projects beyond the stop and forms a guide for the travel of the contact roller 109 in its innermost position as the `door is being closed, as represented by a broken outline X in FIG. 8; the roller has engaged the cam and presses it tightly against its stop, thus drawing the door to its closed position.

When the arm 85 is tripped by accident, so that the contact roller is in the position indicated by the broken outline Y in FIG. 8, the contact roller will not engage the cam 132, but as the door is closed by hand, the contact roller engages the reverse side of the movable cam 13S, moving the latter to an outward position, as represented by the broken outline Z, in FIG. 8. This will allow the ydoor to be manually closed, but will prevent the mechanical operation of the closer until the door is again opened and the arm 85 is moved manually to its normal outward projecting position, as shown in FIG. 8. At this time, the subsequent closing of the door will again engage roller 109 and the movable cam 135 and press it against its yielding stop, as previously set forth. The movable cam has a reasonably tight pivotal lit, requiring engagement of the contact roller to move it in either of the said positions.

While a preferred construction, with certain modifications, has been described in detail, it should be regarded as an example or embodiment of the invention, rather than a limitation or restriction of the invention, as various changes in the construction, combination and arrangement of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. A door closer unit comprising a closer part mounted on a `door frame; a tripping device carried by the door at one side thereof for engaging the closer part; the closer part having a lixed mounting base; a hollow arm pivoted to swing in the base; a shaft bearing mounted in the base at the lower end and free from the arm; a shaft rotatable in said bearing; a coil spring Lbetween the said shaft bearing and the outer end of the arm; and means for mounting the ends of the spring to the shaft and to the arm, said means comprising plugs with threads thereon to receive a limited number of coils at each end of the spring, the outer end of each plug having a flange to limit the movement of the plug into the spring.

2. A door closer unit in accordance with claim 1, one of the plugs having an adjustable mounting screw extending through the outer end of the arm and through the adjacent plug with means projecting from the thread of the screw for preventing a-backout movement of the mounting screw when it is adjusted in a predetermined location in the plug.

3. A door closer unit in accordance with claim 2, the outer end of the arm having a spherical opening, and a spherical bearing mounting in the opening through which the screw extends to permit a limited swinging action of the screw relative to the longitudinal axis of the spring.

4. A door closer unit in accordance with claim 1 in which the spring extends longitudinally within the hollow arm; said mounting means also including a transverse bearing shaft at the inner end of the arm; means for securing one of said plugs to the shaft, the inner end of the arm having a cutout portion extending transversely through the arm and adapted to receive the bearing shaft therein without engaging the shaft as the arm and spring are relatively moved; and a recess in one end of the cutout portion parallel with the bearing shaft and a resilient member mounted in the recess and partially projecting therefrom to engage the bearing shaft as a stop, which makes a silent contact therewith.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,013,762 Gibbs Jan. 2, 1912 1,339,479 Schmidt May 11, 1920 1,621,974 Deenihan Mar. 22, 1927 1,966,956 Dunn July 17, 1934 2,190,653 Dunn Feb. 20, 1940 2,304,556 Dunn Dec. 8, 1942 

